9TH GRADE ON-TRACK PROGRAM
The 9th Grade On-Track Program is a 10-month, virtual program that supplements the freshman year experience and helps build a strong foundation for high school success.
THE RIGHT START MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE
The first year of high school has a huge impact on students’ high school experience. Research shows that students who end their 9th grade year on-track are three to four times more likely to graduate from high school than those who are not on-track. It is a pivotal time in which students start to chart the course for their dreams, identify their values, and reinforce perceptions of themselves. Our 10-month program combines content, community, care packages, and mentorship to help expand students’ capacity for self-exploration and help them move towards bringing their dreams to life.
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SUMMER FOUNDATIONS WORKSHOP
In July, we kickoff the program with a 5-week workshop that includes virtual community gatherings one day a week for an hour as well as light touch self-guided courses that introduce our foundational values and set the stage for an exciting year ahead.
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FIVE BROTHER BOX CARE PACKAGES
At the end of each quarter we send students a new Brother Box care package with books, snacks, swag, and encouraging words to celebrate their accomplishments and reward them for their ongoing participation and contributions to our community.
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COMMUNITY PLATFORM
Our program is rooted in bringing students together to learn alongside each other and from one another. In addition to virtual gatherings throughout the year, we provide access to a community platform so students can connect, encourage each other and foster relationships.
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ON-CALL MENTORSHIP
We provide on-call mentors for whenever students are in need of advice, guidance, or reassurances. We apply our core values of authenticity, community, courage, curiosity, and hope to holistic mentorship conversations to help students when they need us most.
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INSPIRING WEEKLY TEXT MESSAGES
Students receive a text message every Monday to help them start the week off on the right foot. These words of motivation or affirmation serve as simple reminders of core concepts and values and encourage students to keep showing up for themselves.
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MONTHLY VIRTUAL GATHERINGS
Once a month we hold a virtual community gathering for students to come together, share stories through peer-to-peer check-ins, and hear from guest speakers and mentors on topics like college and career awareness and fulfilling their potential.
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PROGRESS AND WELLNESS PULSE CHECKS
At the end of each month, we conduct pulse checks by asking students to fill out a short form to let us know how they’re feeling about life and school, what challenges they’re facing, what they’re looking forward to, and how we can be most helpful to them in the month ahead.
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PARENT NEWSLETTER
We keep parents updated on a regular basis as to what we’re focusing on each month, the universal challenges that students are facing and how we’re helping, and parent-specific content from education professionals and mentors that offer guidance and perspective.
STUDENT ENROLLMENT APPLICATIONS OPEN IN MARCH
Applications will open on March 1, 2022 for students starting 9th grade in Fall 2022.
Our Unique Approach
HOLISTIC & HUMAN-CENTERED
Our focus goes beyond helping check traditional boxes of “success.” We honor the full spectrum of Black boys’ humanity and create a brave space for them to explore their unique gifts, feelings, and values.
BROTHER BOX CARE PACKAGES
Our care packages serve as a tangible reminder to our boys that they are valued and we have their back.
LIGHT TOUCH, SUPPLEMENTAL CURRICULUMS
We know how busy life can be, and we know we’re not the only ones working towards our vision. So, we keep our programs simple, easy, and supplemental.
AFFORDABLE FOR ALL
Our “Pay What You Can Promise” ensures that everyone has access to our programs, regardless of the ability to pay some, all, or none of the fees.
Program Eligibility, Enrollment, and Fees
Eligibility
- Our 9th Grade On-Track Program is open to all incoming 9th grade students in the United States who identify as Black males. All programming is virtual.
- Parents are required to complete the student’s enrollment application, and sign an enrollment form/waiver upon their child’s acceptance into the program.
- Students must complete the Summer Foundations Workshop detailed above to continue in the program when the school year starts. We ask that students commit to staying engaged in the program throughout the 10-months of their 9th grade year. We’ve designed this program to be a virtual, light-touch, and supplemental way to support students. We simply ask for parents and students to communicate as circumstances shift throughout the year.
- If students fail to submit their Progress and Wellness Pulse Checks for three consecutive months, we reserve the right to dismiss the student from the program.
Enrollment
- The Enrollment Application opens on March 1, 2022. Interested parents/guardians should fill out the Enrollment Application Form by June 10th, 2022 for children starting 9th Grade in Fall 2022.
- Once your application form has been submitted, we will reach out to schedule a quick, virtual call with parent/guardians and the student to get to know you. This is not a formal interview, simply a chance for us to put a name to a face and answer any questions you might have about the program. We like to set expectations and ensure that we’re on the same page with everyone.
- We will inform parents and students of their acceptance into the program on a rolling basis. Upon acceptance, parents and students will be asked to sign an enrollment form/waiver as a final commitment.
- The program will kick off with the first 60-minute virtual session of our Summer Foundations Workshop in mid-July.
Fees: Pay What You Can
- Our 9th Grade On-Track Program is valued at $249 for the year, but you only pay what you can. Thanks to our generous donors and funders, our “Pay What You Can Promise” ensures that everyone has access to our programs, regardless of the ability to pay some, all, or none of the fees. At the end of the day, we all want the best for our kids. Money should never stand in the way of supporting them and lifting up their dreams. So when we say pay what you can, we mean it!